Infante not fully healthy but able to take field

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Omar Infante on Monday played second base for the Royals in a Cactus League game for the first time in a week and a half, and everything went fine.

Infante did not get a strenuous test for his ailing right shoulder, making two routine throws to first base.

"I'm almost there; give it a couple more days," Infante said. "But I'm happy now because I can play."

Infante has yet to be teamed with shortstop Alcides Escobar, who had the day off. Jason Donald started at short instead.

"I thought Infante had a nice day," manager Ned Yost said. "I was pleased with his at-bats. He had some great at-bats; he looked great in the field."

Infante went 1-for-3 with a single to open a two-out, five-run rally by the Royals in the third inning of their 8-2 win over the Mariners.

Cano becomes Shields' first spring pickoff

PEORIA, Ariz. -- James Shields is famous for picking off baserunners, something the Mariners' Robinson Cano knew only too well from his days with the Yankees.

As it happened, in the first inning of the Royals' 8-2 victory on Monday, Cano thought he had better warn teammate Abraham Almonte about it.

"In the first inning, he was on first and Almonte was on third, and Almonte was kind of running toward home plate. I remember him telling Almonte, 'He might pick over, he might pick over,'" Shields said.

Nothing happened that time, but, in the fourth inning, Cano singled before heading to third base on Justin Smoak's double.

"So I just figured I'd just try to go over there and get him and ended up getting him," Shields said with a smile.

He sure did, catching Cano flat-footed about 10 feet down the line.

"Man, the third baseman was playing shortstop," Cano said. "But it's a good thing he did that now. Now we know. He got everybody, even the third-base coach. Nobody said anything."

Shields has 27 pickoffs in his career, most of any active right-hander, but a runner at first is his usual target.

"Whether it's Spring Training or not, we're still working on stuff, too," Shields said. "That's the first time I've attempted something like that in this Spring Training."

Perez exits game with bruised left palm

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Royals catcher Salvador Perez left Monday's game against the Mariners after two innings with a bruised left palm, but it is believed to be a minor injury.

Perez's hand was struck just below the glove by a foul ball in the second inning. X-rays were negative, but further tests were planned by head trainer Nick Kenney.

"It was really precautionary," manager Ned Yost said of Perez's removal from the game. "It was just a bit of a bruise, but he's fine. If it was in the season, we wouldn't even think twice about it."

Adam Moore pinch-hit for Perez in the top of the third inning, and he drew a walk and scored in the Royals' five-run inning. He then replaced Perez behind the plate.

"He was fine," pitcher James Shields said of Perez. "I just told him, 'Get out of here; there's no sense going back in the game.' He wanted to come back in, but it's Spring Training, and there's no sense to push anything. He just had a little foul tip, and everything should be fine."

If anything, the bruise might bother Perez when he hits.

"It's down on his bottom hand [on the bat] where you swing and [touch] the knob," Yost said. "But it's just [nothing]."

"Dwyer looked great; he was a tough one, but we run out of innings this time of year, when starters start to get lengthened out," manager Ned Yost said. "We didn't want him sitting here pitching one inning over the next seven or eight days, when he could be down getting himself lengthened out. Because he's going to be a viable candidate, if something happens, to come up and step into the rotation."

That designation might also fit Zimmer later in the season. He was held out of Cactus League games rather than take a chance on risking more problems to his right shoulder, which flared up late last year. Zimmer is expected to be eased into games later.

Lamb, a hot prospect before elbow surgery, was hit hard in his last outing, but he impressed with increased velocity on his fastball.

"I was very pleased with the way he came in. His side sessions were night-and-day better than they were last year after coming off the Tommy John," Yost said. "His arm is back now. He's got life to his fastball, he's got depth to his breaking stuff and he's always had the real good changeup."

Initially, the cuts were expected to be made on Tuesday after a "B" game, but it was decided to go ahead and get the players active in Minor League camp.

Crown points

• The changing signage behind home plate at Kauffman Stadium this year will include Magniflex, a global mattress company in Italy. The reason? New right fielder Norichika Aoki is a spokesman for the Magni Sports mattress line. The Royals expect to have more than 60 telecasts seen in Japan this year.

• The 14 roster cuts on Monday left the Royals with 43 active players in camp: 21 pitchers, five catchers, 10 infielders and seven outfielders.

• On Tuesday morning, the Royals will honor their championship teams at Triple-A Omaha and Rookie Idaho Falls in a ring ceremony at the complex. Individual organization awards also will be made.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.